


Lonely in London

by slytheringurrl



Category: White Collar
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-12-22
Updated: 2014-06-19
Packaged: 2018-01-05 15:03:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 7,176
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1095409
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/slytheringurrl/pseuds/slytheringurrl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sara feels alone in London and on a whim, she decides to fly out to New York to see Neal. [OH HIATUS - to be finished Summer 2017]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Casually Dropping In

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Sheenianni](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sheenianni/gifts).



> This is for sheenianni and the first chapter was written for the White Collar H/C Advent.

Alone. Why is it that I always end up alone at the end? Sara wandered onto her balcony and when she looked out onto the London skyline, she was tossed back into one of her old memories. Her memories of New York.  
  
\---

_Come on," Neal urged. "It's not like you're going to spend Christmas alone."_

_"I really don't want to impose," Sara said, "but then at the same time, I don't want to be alone either."_

_Neal just shook his head. "You know that El won't mind. Stop making excuses, just come with me."_

_"Are you sure?"_

_"Sara, all we're doing is going skating at Rockefeller then having dessert, wine and exchanging gifts after."_

_"Alright," she conceded. "I'll come. And, thanks for inviting me."_

\---

She wanted to go back. Well, maybe she didn't want to go back to her job but she desperately wanted to belong to something.

Sara was always an outcast in New York. Sure, she always had a lot of friends and a pretty interesting social life but it never felt right. Being with Neal and the rest of the White Collar team during Christmas last year somehow felt right.

\---

_"I'm so glad that you could make it Sara," El said, handing her a glass of red wine. "I wasn't expecting you to come but I'm really happy you did."_

_Sara smiled. "I wasn’t going to come in the beginning," she admitted softly, "but I'm glad I'm here instead of being alone."_

_"How do you usually celebrate Christmas?" the brunette asked curiously. "Do you celebrate with your family?"_

_Sara shook her head. "No, I really don't celebrate with anyone. When I was engaged to Brian, we would celebrate with his family but usually, I would just be alone."_

_Elizabeth just nodded but stoped prying, knowing that this would be a sensitive subject._

\---

"Hi," Sara said into the phone, "sorry for calling so late. I didn't wake you up, right?"

"No, I was still awake," her boss replied. "What can I do for you?"

"I know this is short notice, but can I have a few days off from work starting tomorrow? I'd like to go back to New York."

"Well, I suppose you can," her boss said, sounding unsure. "You haven't used your vacation, so you can go. Next time, give me more notice though."

Sara breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you so much, sir. Next time I promise I'll give you more of a heads-up. Happy Christmas!"

"Happy Christmas to you too. And Sara, have fun," he said, "relax a bit."

"I'll try my best," she acknowledged as she hung up the phone, feeling victorious. She was going to New York!

\---

Neal Caffrey popped open the bottle of champagne and handed one glass to the other person.

"To us," he said happily, lifting his drink into the air.

"To us," agreed Rebecca, tossing back her hair and settling into her chair, "and our relationship."

Then, the romantic aura was broken when Neal's phone started ringing.

"Are you going to get that?"

"Yeah," Neal muttered. _Why is Sara calling me now?_

"Sara," he said as he slid his finger across the screen to answer the call. "What's up?" _  
_

"Are you busy?"

"Not really, why?"

"I'm in New York and I wanted to see you," Sara replied.  "Are you free?"

"I guess," Neal said hesitantly. "Want to come over in about 20 minutes?"

"Sounds good," Sara said.  "See you then."

\---

When Neal heard the rap on the door, he cringed. _This is going to be such a mess,_ he thought.  His new girlfriend was meeting his ex. Wonderful.

"Coming," he called, going towards the door. When he opened it, his mood worsened. "Hey, come in," he said, trying to act as pleasant as possible.

Rebecca stood up when she saw the pretty woman walk in.  "Hi," she greeted Sara. "I'm Rebecca, Neal's girlfriend."

\---

No, this could not be happening.  Neal had moved on. _How long did you think he was going to hang around for you?_ she thought angrily. _Until you moved back to New York?_

Neal was an attractive man and she shoud've known better than to expect him to wait for her.   _  
_

  
"Nice to meet you," Sara finally said. "And, it looks like I'm intruding on something. I didn't realize that your girlfriend was here, Neal." She turned and walked towards the door. "It was great seeing you."

"You don't have to go," Neal said before he could stop himself. "Have some champagne. It's Bollinger."

"No, but thanks anyway" she replied, pulling open the door. "I better go. Maybe we can meet up some other time."

Neal took a deep breath as he watched Sara run away yet again. "So damn close," he muttered, "and she's gone again."


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neal and Sara meet up for lunch.

"Sara came and saw me last night," Neal said casually, handing Peter his cup of coffee.  "It was strange."

"Sara, as in Sara Ellis?" Peter asked.  "Isn't she in London now?"  
  
"Yeah, she's lives in London.  She called me last night and asked if we could meet up.  I mean, I thought we were over.  I wasn't expecting to see her again."  
  
"Sure," Peter agreed.  "After all, she doesn't even live here anymore.  But, you guys were friends.  What's so weird about wanting to see a friend?"  
  
"Nothing's weird about wanting to see a friend," Neal started off, "but she seemed strange when she saw Rebecca.   As soon as she noticed Rebecca, Sara was out the door in seconds.  I just don't get it, it was-"  
  
"Maybe you're overthinking things," Peter interjected.  "You should go out for lunch with Sara and talk to her.  Just clear up all your doubts."  
  
"Great idea," Neal replied distractedly.  He left Peter's office in a daze, finding his way back to his desk.  _Now, I just had to convince Sara to have lunch with me,_ he though, grabbing his phone off his desk.  
  
\---  
  
"Hey, thanks for meeting me," Neal greeted Sara as she walked into the restaurant.   
  
"You said that you had something important to talk about."  Sara looked at Neal expectantly.  "So, what is it?"  
  
"Why'd you leave so quickly last night?"  
  
Sara laughed.  "Wow.  You're really cutting to the chase.  And, I didn’t want to make the already awkward evening even stranger.  I can put up with a lot of things, but hanging out with an ex's current girlfriend is a bit much."   
  
"Oh.  I'm glad that we're catching up now.  So, why are you in New York?"  
  
"I was feeling a little homesick, I guess."  Sara shrugged.  "I just felt like coming back and I had some vacation so, here I am."  
  
"Yeah, here you are."  Neal laughed, saying, "I'm sure you had _all_ of your vacation left, Sara.  Admit it, you're a workaholic."  
  
"I guess I am," she admitted, pouring herself a bit of wine.  "But, I'm okay with it."  
  
"That's good, but I think you need a break.  I'm glad that you decided to come to New York instead of moping around in London."  
  
Sara sighed.  "I don't mope, Neal.  Sulking is for little children who haven’t gotten their way."

Neal just shook his head.  It was pointless to argue with Sara after she had put up her walls and he had learned that lesson the hard way.  "Okay, I'll stop bugging you," he grumbled.  "And, look at the time.  It's already four and I promised Rebecca that I'd meet up with her for dinner."  
  
Sara couldn’t speak.  Of course, Rebecca.  His girlfriend.  She mentally berated herself.   _Neal isn't yours anymore_.  Her life was so depressing.  She was pining after a guy that was taken and she had the guts to come all the way to a different country for him.  She was such an idiot.  A fool.  
  
"So, I'll see you again before you leave, right?"  
  
She shrugged.  "I'm not sure.  I'm leaving soon and I still have to meet up with some friends from work and stuff.  I'll call you if any free time comes up."

"Oh, okay then," Neal said quietly.  "That's alright.  It was nice to see you again though."  
  
"Definitely."  Sara placed down her napkin on the table and stood up.  "Thanks for lunch.  Let's keep in touch, okay?"  
  
Neal smiled and gave Sara a quick hug.  "Certainly.  Bye Sara."  
  
"Bye Neal."

 ---  
  
"So, what did you do today?" Rebecca asked, handing Neal a bowl filled with pasta.  "Solve any crimes?"  
  
"Not really, just the usual.  I met up with an old friend for lunch though."   
  
"Oh, really?"  Rebecca looked up from pouring the wine.  "Was it that girl who came over last night?"  
  
"Yeah, Sara.  We were just catching up.   She moved to London about six months ago and we obviously haven't seen each other since."  
  
"That's nice.  You don't have to explain everything you do to me, Neal.  I was just curious."  
  
"I know." 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sara comes back to New York.

Sara glanced down at her plane ticket and the boxes surrounding her. She was leaving London for good. After leaving New York two months ago, the homesickness had hit her harder than ever. She had thought about taking her old job back before, but the spontaneous visit had convinced her that London wasn't for her.

"You're leaving." It wasn't a question.

"Huh?" Sara looked towards the doorway of her apartment and saw her next-door neighbor, Alan, peering into the front hall. "Oh, yes. I'm leaving.

"Are you leaving the area or are you moving to a fancier flat?"

Sara smiled softly. "I'm going back to New York. You know, I visited London when I was a teenager and I fell in love. Now, I think that I'd prefer to just come here on vacation."

He nodded. "When are you leaving?"

"I'm leaving in another hour. It was really sudden. I should be there Sunday afternoon, just in time for work on Monday."

"Wow, that is really sudden," he agreed. "Well, it was nice knowing you for the short time that you were here. Good luck in New York, Sara."

"Thanks, Alan."

* * *

It was a bad winter in New York and even in March, the air was biting cold and after spending awhile in milder climates, Sara couldn't help but shudder when she stepped outside the airport to hail a taxi to the Westin Hotel.

"So, where are you visiting from?" asked the cabbie as he placed her two suitcases in the trunk of the car.

"I'm from around here," Sara informed him icily. "Do I look like I'm not from New York?"

"I figured that since you wanted me to drop you off at a hotel in a major tourist area, you weren't from around here."

"Okay, whatever. Just hurry up and drive!"

* * *

Sara woke up feeling extremely tired Monday morning. She had hoped that the jetlag would've worn off by now, but obviously not.

When she pushed open the door to her floor an hour and a half later, she was greeted with silence. Everyone was looking at her and she could tell that they were all trying their hardest not to whisper some piece of gossip to the person next to them. "Oh, it feels so good to be back," she whispered under her breath.

Karen Nelson handed Sara a cup of coffee, black with two sugars, just the way her boss liked it. "Welcome back, Ms. Ellis," she greeted her. "How do you feel being back in New York?"

"It's great," Sara said smiling. "Thanks for the coffee, Karen."

"So, why's the bitch queen back in town?" Anthony Yarbrough, a senior claims adjuster, asked Karen as soon as Sara went into her office. "It was so peaceful when she wasn't here, kissing everyone's ass all the time and taking all the limelight."

"She just decided to come back," Karen told him, shrugging. "Hey, she's nice to me so it doesn't really matter."

"You have to admit that she's a bitch most of the time."

"I guess she is."

* * *

"Everybody, be quiet," Diana yelled, attempting to get her team to shut up and let her talk. "We are working on yet another insurance fraud case and Sara Ellis is here to tell us about it."

Neal tried his hardest not to gape as he saw his ex-girlfriend walk in, decked out in her usual four-inch heels and sheath dress. She was the last person he expected to see today.

"Hi everyone," Sara said, taking a seat next to Diana. "My client, Ms. Salisbury, has been accused of doing some illegal things to obtain the insurance money for her two diamond necklaces and I've been informed that this connects to your present case."

"Necklaces?" someone asked. "Is this really worth dedicating a whole investigation towards?"

"If it was just this one case, we wouldn't have gone through the trouble. But, in the last two months, there were five identical cases like this. Every time, jewelry or some type of valuable is stolen and the details aren't adding up and our clients aren't able to get their insurance," Sara answered testily. "Sterling Bosch is dedicated to providing our clients with the best service and this investigation is essential to that."

Neal lifted his head up and asked, "So, what do we have to do?"

"We're not so sure," Diana answered. "Right now, all we know is that something strange is going on. That's actually where we come in. The FBI will be looking into these cases and we'll be trying to find a trend in the burglaries. Then, hopefully, we can also see how honest Ms. Ellis' clients are."

"That's basically the story. Sterling Bosch was contacted to help with the case since you're investigating our clients," Sara added as everyone in the room stood up and filed out of the room.

"Sara, wait!" Neal called as the strawberry blonde hurried out of the room.

"What do you want?" Sara scowled at Neal as she rummaged in her purse for a pair of gloves. "I'm in a hurry and I need to get back to the office."

"What are you doing here?"

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!   
> Just a quick question: would you guys like to see more of the case (and more chapters) or a quick build up to the romance and other fluffy things?
> 
> Please consider leaving a review!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, there's a bit of Neal and Sara interaction in this chapter as well as Peter and Diana. Also, this story will be following all of season 5 except for the last bit of the season finale where you-know-who gets _____. (Yep, no spoilers). So, Peter does move to Washington and all that.

"Neal, I don't have time for this right now," Sara muttered as she pulled on her gloves and hat. "I'm here in New York and I don't have to explain my choices to you."

"I'm not asking you anything crazy," Neal argued, moving to block the exit so that she couldn't run off. "You're supposed to be in London and I was just curious as to why you're here."

"Why do you even care? We're not even friends," she added spitefully as she remembered Neal's new girlfriend – the one who seemed to be just perfect.

Neal grimaced. "What do you mean?" he asked, looking confused. "We're more than friends, Sara."

She shook her head. "No, we're not. We slept together and dated but we were never friends. Besides, you have Rebecca now and—"

"Wow, you haven't changed one bit," he interrupted her. "You were the one who ignored all my calls and didn't give me a chance. You were the one who didn't want a relationship with a felon so don't blame me. And, Rebecca and I are over, in case you haven't heard."

When she heard Neal say the words she'd been waiting to hear for the last two months, her heart stopped. She knew that Neal was part of a dangerous territory that she didn't want to go into. Even though it had been more than a year since she had last dated him, she still undeniably had feelings for Neal and that scared her like nothing else. "Well, you've never been known to have long relationships," she told him snootily as she tried to push past him to get into the elevators.

"Just shut up," Neal said, his voice cracking slightly. "I don't want to talk about Rebecca but it wasn't my fault this time."

"Fine," she replied. "Now, I'd really appreciate it if you would move because now I'm really running late."

"It's always about you, isn't it?" he asked, looking at her quizzically. "You're such a hypocrite, Sara. You told me that when I ran away to Cape Verde, I was being selfish. But, you're the same as I am. You do things for your own personal gain."

"My own personal gain?" Sara scoffed. "This is my job, Neal, not a con. Why are you so upset anyway? Long-distance relationships never work out in the end and we were never a couple."

"I give up," Neal muttered as he pushed open the glass doors that led back to the White Collar division. "I really thought that maybe we could try the whole friendship thing again but you're obviously not interested."

Sara sighed as she watched Neal stalk to his desk and reluctantly pressed the down button to the elevator. She couldn't believe the nerve he had to question her decisions. So what if she was a bit of a workaholic? She didn't have any ties in New York so she left and it didn't work out. She shook her head and discretely wiped the tears that were threatening to spill. Sometimes, she really hated Neal Caffrey.

* * *

"So, what were you and Sara talking about there?" Peter asked as he and Neal were leaving the office. "You both looked upset."

"Peter!" Neal exclaimed, looking appalled. "Are you looking for the office gossip?"

"No, I'm just curious," the older man said. "I was just remembering that conversation we had about her before and now that you're single, maybe you guys could reconcile. You were serious about her before."

"No," Neal replied shortly. "It's not going to work out and I'd rather not try."

"Okay," Peter said quietly, backing off. He'd always known that despite his need to hold people at arm's length, Neal was a hopeless romantic. "You know, there are only a few more days until I leave for Washington again. In fact," he continued, "I have two Yankees tickets and I was wondering if you'd come with me."

"Sure," Neal agreed distractedly as he tried to flag down a cab. "See you later, Peter."

When he returned to his apartment, the first thing Neal did was open up a bottle of wine. He was feeling bad for himself and the best self-pity came with alcohol. He knew that he had always liked Sara because she wasn't part of his past life. Kate, Rebecca, Alex; they were all part of that world and even though she played dirty, Sara wasn't like them. Neal didn't want to admit it, but as soon as he'd seen Sara walking into the room, he was hoping that they could reunite and possibly have a fling – or even more if she was interested. But now, he knew that it was hopeless to even hope for something that wasn't even on her radar anymore.

* * *

"Neal, stop daydreaming," Diana said, rapping her knuckles on his head. "Come with me, we have work to do."

"So, what's on the agenda today?"

"Oh, Sara's going to go see her clients and you're going along with her to scope them out," Diana replied breezily. "That won't be a problem, right?"

"No, it won't," Neal answered testily. "But please don't force me to be in her company for more than two hours."

Diana smiled knowingly. "Yeah, that's how I feel with Christie sometimes when I see her with our mutual friends. It's just really weird, you know. We would've been married by now," she said wistfully, "but, it wasn't meant to be."

"Thanks for understanding," Neal said gratefully, smiling at his boss. "Also, I still haven't properly thanked you for letting me stay here as a consultant even though there are other CI's needing jobs. Let me you dinner sometime."

"You know that I'm not interested in men right, Caffrey?" Diana asked, swatting his arm good-humoredly. "But, I'll admit that having dinner with someone who isn't a baby would be fantastic."

"Great." Neal stood up and walked towards the door. "I guess I need to meet up with Sara. Wish me luck."

"Don't worry," Diana called back. "It'll be fine. We'll be in the van and you'll be just fine."


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, sorry for the delay. I usually don't post a new chapter until I've started to write the next one but I've been super busy this week and haven't written anything yet :( But, if you haven't already, be sure to check out my new-ish White Collar fics!
> 
> On another note, thanks for all the kudos! They really brighten up my day!

Neal and Sara walked up the steps to her client's posh townhome in Brooklyn. Sara quickly rapped her knuckles against the door and rocked back and forth. She was feeling nervous and she knew exactly why. Neal. It was strange working together again after such a long time. It had only been a few months but in that short time, he had gained _and_ lost a girlfriend, she had moved to a new country and yet here they were, standing next to each other again.

When the door finally opened, they both saw a short and young raven-haired woman standing inside, looking at them warily. "Hi," Sara said warmly, extending out her hand. "I'm Sara Ellis and I work for Sterling Bosch. I don't know if you remember but we talked the other day about the theft."

Upon hearing Sara's words, the other woman dropped her façade and beamed at Neal and Sara. "Oh," she said, relief in her voice, "come on in."

"When did you find out that your necklaces were stolen?" Sara asked after all the pleasantries were over with, her pen poised over a Moleskine notebook, ready to write down everything she heard. Neal was recording the whole conversation and no matter what, Sara was hell-bent on getting the necklaces back for the poor woman.

"My husband wanted to see them," the other woman, Ashley Marion, answered. "I had worn the necklace the day before to a banquet and I noticed that the hook was loose and he wanted to fix it before I wore it again. I left it on his desk and when he went in to get it, it was gone." She shrugged. "Just like that. Poof. We have our security alarm on all the time and it was freezing outside so all the windows were shut."

"It's very easy for a good thief to get around a generic alarm," Neal remarked. "I checked out your system and it's very basic."

Ashley gaped at Neal, eyes widened. She glanced at him suspiciously. "Who is he?" she asked Sara accusingly, "and, why does he know this?"

Sara rolled her eyes. "This is Neal Caffrey. He works for the FBI.  That's why he has a lot of knowledge on security systems."

"So, do you think we should upgrade our security system?" Ashley asked worriedly, wringing her hands. "I can't afford to lose any more of my jewelry."

"Just make sure that you don't leave things in the open and lock everything up all the time," Neal advised. "Trust me; thieves usually tend to go for the easier jobs and most can't crack open the complicated safes."

"We are trying our best to retrieve the missing jewelry, Mrs. Marion," Sara assured the other woman. "We'll keep in touch and keep you updated."

"I just want everything to be returned safely."

Sara acknowledged the woman's wishes with a slight nod as she and Neal headed towards the door. "Thanks again for agreeing to speak with us."

Ashley smiled up at Neal and Sara and nodded. "I really hope that you catch who's been doing this."

When the door shut behind them, Sara shook her head at Neal. "I can't believe you," she said incredulously. "What happened to being Mr. Suave? You were scaring the poor lady."

"She did have a faulty alarm system and was obviously an idiot," Neal defended himself. "Who leaves necklaces that expensive unattended for that long?"

Sara just rolled her eyes as she walked towards the sidewalk to get a cab. "So, I was thinking that we should talk sometime," she said. "Maybe we could have dinner together?"

"Well, there's no time like the present," Neal said, glancing at his watch. "It's about six now and there's this great Indian place nearby."

Sara smiled at him shyly and nodded. "Okay, lead the way," she agreed as they walked off down the sidewalk towards the restaurant.

Seated across from each other in the dimly-lit restaurant, Sara couldn't help but feel a little insecure because she just could feel that she and Neal would end up picking a fight where he'd criticize her for something again. Though, she had to admit that so far, he had been nothing but the perfect gentleman towards her. She was tossed out of her reverie when Neal snapped his fingers in front of her face. "Sorry," she apologized quickly, "what were you saying?"

"I wasn't saying anything." Neal grinned. "Anyway, what's gotten you so distracted ? Anything you'd like to share?"

"It's weird that we're back being friends again. Just two days ago, we were arguing and yet, here we are, being very friendly and not trying to verbally assault each other."

"Verbally assaulting each other? That seems a bit harsh."

Sara just raised her eyebrows. "Come on, we _were_ pretty nasty that day. Anyhow, thanks for agreeing to talk to me. You know, I really didn't mean to ditch you like that when I moved to London. But with everything else going on in both of our lives, it just seemed better that way." She shrugged her shoulders and looked at him hesitantly. "I was afraid, Neal. I was scared that you'd move on without me in New York and that I'd be stuck alone in London.

"Which I did," Neal admitted, looking down at his plate of Tandoori Chicken.

"Tell me about Rebecca. What exactly happened?" Sara urged, placing her hand over his, squeezing gently. "You seemed bothered by it."

"Rebecca was deceptively perfect." His voice took on a wistful tone as he continued, "She was pulling a con on me and she used my greatest weakness to do it and I was a fool not to see the signs. I thought I loved her and it was all a lie."

"Wow, she appears to be more of a bitch than I am," Sara said, smirking. "I didn't think it was possible. How do you find your girlfriends, Caffrey?"

Neal finally laughed then, a deep and happy sound. "I don't know; you tell me," he joked. "You're one of them. But yeah, most of my girlfriends have been strange, to say the least."

"Except for me, right?" It wasn't a question. Neal knew that Sara still probably carried a baton in her purse and wasn't afraid to use it.

"Of course, Sara. You were the normal one. Want more wine?"

"Sure," she decided, holding out her glass. "Just don't get me drunk since I don't kiss random strangers."

"So, am I a random stranger?"

She shrugged. "No. But, either way, I'm not sleeping with you because I'm not looking for a friends-with-benefits thing anymore."

"Wow, you're getting straight to the point. I just need a friend right now. Especially with Peter leaving, I've been a little lonely lately," Neal confessed.

"Is that why Diana's been handling the case?" Sara asked. "I didn't even know that Peter left. He's here in New York though."

"Peter moved to Washington but he occasionally visits New York to help us with some cases since he still works with the White Collar department."

"And your anklet is off now," she noted, glancing at his leg. "How did that happen?"

"I really don't know." Neal lifted his shoulders. "After I found out that Peter was leaving, I didn't want to get a new handler. I was ready to be free again and Peter pulled some strings and here I am, without my leash."

"I'm really happy for you, Neal." And she truly was. Sara knew that all Neal ever wanted was to be able to live his own life again. He really knew how to live life and the anklet had put everything on hold for him. She only hoped that he'd be smart enough to leave his life of crime behind him this time.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please consider leaving a review and letting me know about what you want to see next in the story!


	6. Chapter 6

"Good, you're alive," Peter greeted Neal as he ran into the stadium's entrance way right as the game was starting. "And, you're late."

"Hello to you, Peter," the younger man said, smirking. "How's your day been?"

"It was wonderful but now we really need to get in there. I can't miss any of the game and I don't think El will remember to DVR it for me," Peter grumbled as they both rushed towards the gate closest to their seats.

"This isn't too bad," Neal remarked during the seventh inning stretch. After Peter constantly shushing him as he attempted to talk through the first seven innings, he finally had an opportunity to speak. "Even though I prefer to visit museums, this was pretty fun."

"Baseball _is_ fantastic." Peter grinned. "I'm really glad that we were able to meet up," he said. "I've missed working with you in Washington. You know, I could get you a job in D.C. if you're interested. We could work together again," he continued earnestly. "It would be just like old times; you, me, some insurance scams."

Neal shook his head and looked down at his shoes. "Sorry Peter. I can't do that. I really appreciate the offer but things are finally working out for me. New York's always been my home and I don't want to leave."

Before Peter could reply, the game started again and he was dragged back into the world of baseball. Within the hour, the game was over and Peter again thought of what Neal had said. He wanted Neal to come back to D.C. with him, no doubt. Neal was one of the most useful tools that Peter had and he missed having that advantage in the field. And, he did miss Neal himself. Neal was more than his CI and Peter couldn't help but worry about Neal and what would happen to him. Sure, Diana would make sure that Neal wouldn't get into any legal troubles but who'd be there for him in other situations?

"Want to get a beer?" Peter asked Neal as they walked out of the stadium. "Or, do you have plans?"

Neal recognized when Peter was trying to pry into his personal life but he also knew that the older man usually meant well. "No, let's get a drink."

* * *

"We think we've found our lead suspect," Diana announced to the New York White Collar division in the conference room. She clicked a button on the remote she was holding and a picture materialized on the screen behind her. "This is Tyler Carmichael and he's known for stealing expensive things in broad daylight. NYPD caught him five years ago and he served two years in jail and he's been the suspect in many jewelry heists. We've got him in custody since he was caught red-handed as he was leaving a house with some trinkets."

"So, if this is our guy, is the case over?" asked one of the agents.

Diana nodded. "Yeah, it'll be over. Okay," she continued, "that's all I have to say."

As everyone slowly filed out of the room, Diana added, "Hey Neal, can I talk to you for a second?"

"Yeah, what's up?"

"Theo's coming down with something and I need to leave. I know that this is probably inconvenient but can you give Sara some paperwork that she needs to sign? She offered to come here but I thought I'd be able to go but now –"

Neal held up a hand, interrupting his boss's rant. "It's fine, Diana. Go take care of Theo."

Diana smiled gratefully and handed him a stack of papers. "Thank you so much."

* * *

Sara rapped the pen against her desk and stared at the wall. She hated apartment searching. She'd been living out of her suitcase at the Westin for the last three weeks and she needed a home. When she heard a knock at her door, she called, "Come in."

Neal stuck his head in the door and smiled at his ex. "Hey, I'm just here to give you some paperwork that Diana wants you to sign. Apparently, it's urgent."

"She told me. I can send it back to you after I finish reading and signing it," she offered. "You don't have to wait her for me to finish."

"I don't mind waiting if it's alright with you."

"Its fine," Sara replied quietly as she started to read the reports Diana had sent. She still wasn't sure about how act around Neal. They were friends now, but she still couldn't help but feel wary around him. Before she left for London, she knew that she felt nothing but a friendly attraction towards him. She liked sleeping with him but she definitely wasn't in love. Now she couldn't distinguish if she actually felt something towards him or if she just wanted to have a sex-filled fling again.

"All done!" Sara announced half an hour later as she signed the last page of the last report. "Sorry for making you wait so long," she apologized.

"Why don't you make it up to me?" Neal asked half-jokingly, needing an excuse to see Sara for a longer time. He was smart enough to know that it was foolish to fall for the same girl again, but Neal just _knew_ that even though she wasn't interested now, she would be soon enough.

"I'd love to take you up on that offer but I'm going apartment hunting," Sara said regretfully. "I just can't stand living in a hotel any longer."

"So, it's official? You're staying in New York?" Neal asked, hopefulness filling his voice. "It's been really great working with you again."

Sara nodded. "It's official. I've been approved to take back my old job and I guess I'll be here until I change jobs again."

"I'm glad." Neal grinned widely as he took the papers from her and moved towards the door. "Even though we probably will see each other sometime, I'd like to see you again outside of work."

Sara smiled back, accepting his request. "Sure," she agreed. "It's a date."


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay guys, I was writing other things (like Baton Wielding Con Children) and as usual, it's taken me a week to write the chapter!
> 
> Some things you should probably know:
> 
> I've estimated that Sara makes about $150,000 per year considering she's pretty high up at Sterling Bosch.
> 
> This is the apartment she's renting: 236 E 77th St APT 11, New York, NY 10075.
> 
> She'd be able to pay about $2,000 per month for rent but she's paying a bit extra since she really likes the house and all. So, that's that.

"Neal, wait!" Sara called. "Why don't you come house hunting with me? I know you have good taste and I'd like to hear your opinion."

"Uhm, okay," Neal agreed. "Where are you looking?"

"I'm looking around my old apartment. I actually just wanted to move back there but unfortunately, it was already rented out."

"You know, if you can't find anything in time, you could stay with me," Neal offered.

"Thanks for the offer, but I'm afraid I'll have to decline." Sara moved to grab her purse and coat and followed Neal out the door. She continued, "I think it would be really weird considering we're not in any type of relationship right now. The last time, we were sleeping together so it felt more normal."

"You're right," he agreed quickly, not wanting to make the offer a bigger deal than it was. "It would be strange."

* * *

Sara and Neal walked in behind the realtor into the first apartment. "It does have a decent view," Neal remarked. "It's also only a block away from your office so that's convenient."

"Yeah, but the inside looks awful," Sara stated as they made their way into the apartment itself. The paint was all worn down and all the floors were long gone. "I rather not have a fixer-upper, considering that this is about a thousand dollars per month."

"Off to the next one, then?" the realtor asked.

"Definitely."

When Sara saw the next apartment, she instantly fell in love. It had a brand new gourmet kitchen with stainless steel appliances and the whole apartment had hardwood oak floors. The only problem was the price. "I can't afford this," she admitted sadly. "I can probably only pay up to two thousand a month."

"Don't worry," Neal reassured her. "We'll find the right one."

Finally, after seeing three more apartments that Sara had vetoed instantly, they were at the last one. "Upper East Side," Neal observed. "That's definitely fancy but it's not too expensive."

Once they walked in, Sara looked around with a smile on her face. "I think I'm sold on this one," she told her realtor after they had toured the rest of the house. "It's $2,400 per month and I have some money in the bank so I think this is the perfect one."

"I think this apartment is really nice too," her realtor agreed. "I'll talk to the landlord and I'll probably have some papers for you to sign by the day after tomorrow at the latest."

"That sounds fantastic." Sara beamed at Neal. "So, what do you think?"

"It's really nice, Sara," he told her sincerely. "It seems perfect for you."

* * *

"You're coming back to New York?" Neal asked in disbelief. "Why, Peter? I thought that you said D.C. was your calling."

"I just miss being in the action too much," the other man admitted. "El wants to stay in D.C. so we've agreed that we would have a long-distance relationship and that we'd see each other as often as possible."

"You and El are going to be in a long-distance relationship?"

"Yeah," Peter replied softly. "Do you think we'll last?"

"You and El? Of course you will but it's not going to be easy," the younger man warned. "And, don't take this the wrong way, but why don't you just find a job similar to yours here in New York in D.C.? Then, you and El won't have to live so far away from each other."

"That's the problem," Peter said. "I want to move back and El has fallen in love with her job in D.C. So, Satch and I will be moving back into our old house since it hasn't sold yet. I took it off the market yesterday."

"This is so sudden," Neal mused out loud. "You were just saying how you thought Washington was perfect less than a week ago. Are you sure you thought this through?"

Peter couldn't help but let out a laugh. He was always lecturing Neal about making the right decisions and now, he was the one being lectured. "I'm sure I'm making the correct choice," he assured the younger man.

"Okay," replied Neal hesitantly. "I can't wait to work with you again, Peter. I even missed arguing with you."

"I missed you too, Neal," Peter responded.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When was the last time I had updated this? Needless to say, it's been a very long time. However, now that I've hit a road block on my White Collar big bang, I am writing this story again :)

If he was the moon, she was the sun. Simply put, they were as different as chalk and cheese. Yet, Neal just knew that they'd be great together. Maybe it was just wishful thinking on his part, but with both Sara and Peter in New York, it almost felt like the old days, before all the drama with his father and Rebecca.

* * *

"How did you get into stealing things?"

Neal sputtered and hastily put down his glass of wine. "Do we really have to talk about that?" he asked hastily.

Sara nodded. "Come on, it must be a great story and I'd love to know what led to you taking my Raphael." She shrugged her shoulders lightly. "Who knows, this information might even come in handy sometime as blackmail."

"Well, you basically know the story. Moz and I tried to pull a con on Adler and we got caught," he said. "I ran away from home when I was eighteen because of my father and his past. Since then, my path hasn't exactly been straight and narrow. My dad was a murderer and I am also a felon. Like father, like son," he finished wryly.

"That does make sense though," Sara mused. "I figured you'd have some reason for being who you are. I thought it would be a little more interesting though," she confessed. "

"But stealing because I had family problems didn't really hold up in court that well."

"Sure, but you're a much better person now than you were oh, two years ago," Sara admitted. "You've changed a lot and it seems like your illegal activities have stopped," she said, a lingering question in her voice.

"I have stopped stealing and forging things if that's what you're asking," Neal defended himself. "Other than the Hagan thing, I've been a model citizen."

"What Hagan thing?"

"Long story," he muttered, rubbing his forehead and looking downcast. "Let's not even get started on that."

Sara frowned but didn't pry more. She knew that in time, Neal would bring down his walls and let her in more. She deserved it though. She had forgotten completely about Neal after moving to London and it would take time to forge the bond between them again. Last time, she wasn't ready and this time, he wasn't ready to commit. How ironic.

* * *

Peter felt as if he couldn't move. Standing outside the elevator, he sneaked a glance through the door and saw Diana looking angrily at Neal, Jones filing paperwork, some blonde girl filling up her coffee mug. Nothing had changed, he told himself as he took a deep breath. Everything was the same yet it had all changed. Finally forcing his legs to move towards the door, Peter entered the White Collar offices, this time to stay.

"Peter, you're back!" Jones said, waving at his boss. "It feels like you were just left a little while ago and now, you're here again."

"I was gone for less than two weeks," Peter laughed. "It's really good to be back though."

"It's great to have you back here, boss." Diana grinned at Peter and moved to give him a warm hug.

As Peter walked into his old office, he felt as if he had never left a day. Unlike the first time he had gone to the office in D.C., this time was much more normal. Not one person was judging him by the shadows his past had left on the White Collar division. He looked up at the door as he heard the telltale signs of his ex-CI rapping on the door. "Come in," he called.

"So you're back." Neal glanced around. "How does it feel?"

"Everyone keeps asking me that and I just don't know what to say," Peter admitted. "I feel great being _here_ but I miss El. Sleeping alone in that huge bed is no fun and the house just feels too big for just me and Satch."

Neal nodded, looking at his friend sympathetically. "It gets easier. That's how it was with me and Kate. When I first went to prison, I wanted to see her all the time but after a while, I didn't miss her ass much. I obviously still loved her but it was different."

"Do you think we'll stop loving each other?" Peter wondered and his face paled slightly. "I don't want to lose my wife just because I couldn't give up my job."

"You and Elizabeth won't stop loving each other," the younger man assured him. "Who knows, maybe she'll decide to move back to New York."

"That's the thing. I think that after compromising so much of her career for me, she wants to stay in D.C."

"Maybe that's just the way things are supposed to be."


End file.
